In the late 1950s, Montblanc completely redesigned its lines and moved to the then-current trend for slender pens. Every pen was redesigned from the ground up. The company abandoned the 1xx, 2xx, 3xx etc numbering system in favour of a much simpler two digit system. The pens were offered in new never before seen colours and styles, the pens started using slip caps on most of their pens, in common with the 1950's 25x series.
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1960's Montblanc Meisterstuck 72
Black thermoplastic body with gold filled cap
18ct Gold nib |
The result was the 1x, 2x and 3x lines, as previously, the first digit representing price point. These were much thinner than most previous models, and made of thermoplastic rather than celluloid. They also had a semi-hooded wing nib, sometimes referred to as a 'butterfly' nib, and all were piston-fillers. Almost identical in appearance, the key to each is the cap band.
At the top of the range came the 1x 'Meisterstuck' it has a thick single band made up of two interlinked triangles at the lip, referred to as 'kardinalshut' or cardinal's hat. Models 12 and 14 were fitted with 18ct gold nibs.
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1960's Montblanc Meisterstuck 14 and 12
Black thermoplastic body and cap, cardinals hat cap band
18ct gold wing nibs |
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Top: Montblanc 31 with steel nib
Bottom: Montblanc 32 with 14ct gold nib |
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Montblanc 22 with two cap lip bands
and 14ct gold nib |
The lower priced 3x has a single thin band on the cap lip, 32 and 34 with 14ct gold nibs, the 31 with steel nib. The 2x pens, 22 and 24 have a second thin cap band, both have 14ct gold nibs. All pens were made in only two sizes x2 and x4, the later being the larger
Luxurious options were offered in the 7x (thermoplastic barrel with gold-filled cap), the 8x (gold-filled cap and barrel), and 9x (solid gold cap and body).
The only traditionally shaped pen manufactured by Montblanc during the period 1959 to 1968 was the MB 149. In 1968 Montblanc introduced the 'Classic' line. The 3 digit numbering system was again used to identify individual models.
